HAIRDRESSER Rachel Harris has gone back to the future to launch her new salon.
The mum of two is moving into the shop which her grandparents opened 60 years ago as a florist and mini-market.
Rachel’s dad, Paul, then joined the family business which he ran with grandmother, Bernie, for 45 years.
Now Rachel is taking over the London Road shop, and in the process helping local hairdressers set up their own business.
“I feel excited I have turned full circle in setting up a salon as the third generation of the Harris family where it all began,” she said.
“I have been a hairdresser for 17 years and I have always wanted my own place and where better than in the shop my grandparents owned and where my dad worked.”
The new salon which will open on June 5 is called Hair Space HQ and will have up to five self-employed hairdressers. Rachel said she was keen to help stylists get started in the business without having all the overheads of owning their own premises.
“They will do what is known as rent a chair with all the equipment they need supplied,” she explained.
“That way, they can get started without all the costs they’d normally have and they can operate their own hours to suit their lifestyle. There are not many flexible opportunities like this in Wokingham so it works for both the salon and customers.”
Rachel’s grandparents moved from London and initially had a flower stall in Peach Street before buying the London Road shop which was called Harris Flowers. Dad, Paul, later joined the business while also working as a postman, something he still does. He has helped Rachel convert the premises which had been let out for the past 15 years, ready for the June opening.
“Dad used to unload flowers at 2am, open up the florist then go on his post round and return to the shop to work until closing,” she explained.
“He has done so much work to transform it into a hair salon. He is amazing and no job is too small or too big for him. I couldn’t have done it without him.
“My grandfather, Eddie, has passed, but my grandmother who is 89 is, like all of us, feeling very nostalgic. I feel honoured as the third generation of Harris’ working at London Road. I can’t wait to get started and welcome customers old and new to what is truly a family business.”
